1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the modular connectors used to terminate telecommunication cables. More particularly, the present invention relates to modular connectors for telecommunication cables that contain a feature that prevents the locking pawl on the modular connector from snagging on other objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many businesses have dedicated telecommunication systems that enable computers, telephones, facsimile machines and the like to communicate with each other, through a private network, and with remote locations via a telecommunications service provider. In most buildings, the dedicated telecommunications system is hard wired using telecommunication cables that contain conductive wire. In such hard wired systems, dedicated wires are coupled to individual service ports throughout the building. The service ports are designed to receive modular connectors from telephones, computers, facsimile machines and the like. The wires from the dedicated service ports extend through the walls of the building to a telecommunications closet or closets. The telecommunications lines from the interface hub of any main frame computer and the telecommunication lines from external telecommunication service providers are also terminated within the telecommunications closets.
A patching system is used to interconnect the various telecommunication lines within the telecommunications closet. In a telecommunications patching system, all of the telecommunication lines are terminated at connector ports within the telecommunications closet. Accordingly, the various telecommunication lines are arranged in an organized manner.
Within the telecommunications closet, patch cords are used to interconnect the various connector ports within the telecommunications closet. Patch cords are telecommunication cables that are terminated at both ends with a modular connector. The most commonly used modular connectors are the RJ-11 connector and the RJ-45 connector. Both connectors contain a locking pawl that extends from the main body of the connector. The locking pawl is used to mechanically connect and disconnect the modular connector to a connector port.
In a telecommunication closet, there may be thousands of patch cords. Each of the patch cords is routed in a different manner throughout the telecommunications closet. Accordingly, each patch cord may be intertwined with hundreds of other patch cords.
Often a technician must remove or reroute a patch cord within a telecommunications closet. Accordingly, a technician must separate a specific patch cord from the others. When a modular connector on a patch cord is removed from a connector port, the locking pawl that extends from the modular connector acts as a hooked barb. The locking pawl has a tendency to snag on any object across which the modular connector may pass. Accordingly, it is nearly impossible to pull a modular connector through other cables without the modular connector becoming snagged. If a technician continues to pull on a patch cord after it becomes snagged, the locking pawl can easily become damaged. Once the locking pawl is damaged, the modular connector is rendered useless and a new modular connector must be added to the end of the patch cord.
In the prior art, technicians often tape the locking pawl of modular connectors down before they pull the modular connector through an obstructed path. However, the use of tape is tedious and both labor and time intensive. To simplify matters, other approaches have been explored in the prior art. One such approach has been the use of an elastomeric boot over the modular connector. In such prior art approaches, an elastomeric boot is wrapped around the modular connector so that the boot covers the extending pawl. The boot prevents objects from snagging on the locking pawl and still enables the locking pawl to function in its designed manner. A problem with protective boots is that they are relatively expensive and difficult to install. Accordingly, when terminating a telecommunication cable, a technician must both install the modular connector and then install the protective boot. In systems that have many thousands of modular connectors, the use of protective boots quickly becomes cost, labor and time prohibitive.
Recognizing the problems associated with protective boots, modular connectors have been designed with integral snag-free features. In such prior art modular connectors, the main body of the modular connector is typically designed to protrude farther than does the locking pawl. In this manner, the body of the connector itself prevents the locking pawl from becoming snagged. Such prior art modular connectors are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,869 to Erlich, entitled, Modular Connector For A Communication Line.
A problem associated with such snag-free modular connectors is the fact that the enlarged body of the connector restricts access to the pawl. Accordingly, it is now more difficult for a technician to engage the pawl and disconnect the modular connector from a connector port. The problem is most prevalent in crowded telecommunications closets where a technician has very little room to manipulate his/her fingers when connecting or disconnecting a specific modular connector.
A need therefore exists in the art for a modular connector with an integral snag-free design that is low cost and does not restrict access to the locking pawl. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.